Typically I don’t respond to comments left on my Follow-Up Friday post, but last week Genevieve left a comment that really resonated with me. It said, “I agree with Lauranne. You do need to be seen to be believed. Somehow, I picture it to look like Lucy at the chocolate factory. Not just because of the “chocolate” factor, but because of always being in over your head….”

“In over your head” has been rolling around in MY head ever since I read it. I can’t help but feel like that phrase really sums me up right now. Actually, I’m wondering if I should change my tag line from “The Good, the Bad and the Oh My God of living with Dogs” to “In Over My Head.” Let’s face it, our walks aren’t always fiascos, but when they are, they’re doozies, because yes, I’m in over my head.

Once upon a time I really loved walking my dogs.

Back when Hubby helped out and could manage Sampson while I took Delilah.  Even after Hubby stopped walking with us and I was walking them by myself, I enjoyed it.

That was back when they could run off leash and I didn’t have to worry about Delilah taking off on me. Back when 99% of the people who walked in the woods let their dogs off leash. Back when my dogs weren’t reactive to other dogs on leash. Back then, I really did enjoy walking with them.

But things changed. Hubby stopped walking with us. Delilah started running off. More people with dogs started enjoying the woods, my dogs started reacting to other dogs.

But I still have two dogs that still need exercising. Besides the fact that I really do love walking (the exercising bit hasn’t helped me with my weight in the least bit), I made a commitment to my dogs, and so I continue to walk them despite some of the fiascos we end up in.

I used to love walking with my dogs, but truthfully, I don’t anymore. They are big dogs, that out weigh me (I won’t say by how much) ;-0, and when they see another dog and lose their freaking minds, I’m in over my head.

When I do write about our fiascos, I try to find the humor in it, because really, what else can you do? I could sit and cry over it, but that does absolutely nothing. And I’m not perfect (who is?) and I don’t always react the way I want to/should. So I get frustrated because I’m struggling to work with them both, I get angry because I have to do it by myself and I get discouraged because it seems no matter how hard I try, I just can’t make it work.

We had an incident two weeks ago (tomorrow) that I haven’t told you about because truthfully, I’m totally embarrassed with how it all went down. But I’m feeling like I must confess and cleanse myself of it, so here goes.

Sampson has a particular walk he really likes in the morning. It is the neighborhood one street over. On this particular street is a house where two Labs live. At least one of these Labs is reactive.

How do I know this you ask…because I’ve had the shit scared out of me when the dog jumps and scratches at the door while barking his fool head off as we pass the house.

Oh and there was that time they were out walking and jacked up on me all the while squeaking their dog’s toy to distract him.

So recently this couple started walking their dogs in the mornings, and I’ve done my best to avoid them. Except that Friday.

For some reason they got the drop on me. I was half a block from turning the corner onto my street when they turned the corner onto theirs. Which just happened to be the street we were on. Looking back, I could have turned around and backtracked far enough to avoid them.

In hindsight that’s what I SHOULD have done, but I didn’t.

I saw them tighten their leashes and keep walking and foolishly, I kept walking too. Everything was fine until they got directly across from me, when Sampson started jumping and Delilah started barking. Then both my dogs were barking and lunging at the end of their leashes. It sort of looked like this.

As they lunged they pulled me forward and I had a horrible thought flash through my mind of being dragged across the street into a full on dog fight.

And I panicked.

So I sat down.

In the grass..on the side of the road.

I looked like a chariot driver.

And then because apparently I’d lost my mind too, I started shouting at my dogs. “Sit, Sit, Sit.”

Well they didn’t.

But the other dogs passed us and we made it home.

I was so embarrassed and discouraged, so I contacted my trainer and said, I think we need some private lessons. But she can’t squeeze us in, so in the meantime, I bought Feisty Fido by Karen London and Patricia McConnell and we’ve been practicing look. I’ve also set my alarm for 10 minutes earlier so we can be out and back before most people and dogs get up. And yes, I’m looking for a trainer.

Maybe tomorrow will be the day I can chuckle over it, like Lucy in the Chocolate factory. Genevieve, I do believe you are right. I’m in over my head.

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